


Puppy Love

by ArtistFox



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: A smidge of Hidge, ALL THE FLUFF, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Basically everything is fluff and cuteness, F/M, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance, Sort of a Valentine's fic, The lions are dogs because why not, blue's pov, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 05:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13675653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtistFox/pseuds/ArtistFox
Summary: Blue is a simple dog, with simple needs: walks, food, love- and her human always made sure she got just that. So that's why when her human starts to loose some of his happiness, Blue is determined to help him get it back. She has a plan; find a human that has The Look whenever they see her human, get that human to meet and fall in love with her own human, and get her human's happiness back. It's so simple! Yet, what's a dog to do when all the humans around her are clumsy idiots?





	Puppy Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! Happy Singles Awareness Day! Or I guess Valentine's Day to you lucky couples...what? Me? Bitter? Of course not...*ahem* Anyways, I wanted to write something cute and fluffy, and I did! (Even though I should've been doing homework) I hope you all like it, and I hope it brings some happiness and laughs to all y'all beautiful people! Before we begin, I have to do a disclaimer so I don't get sued or some shit. *ahem* ArtistFox doesn't own anything. Cool-beans, let's begin, shall we?!

* * *

Four o’ clock was Blue’s favorite time of the day. Partially because it was walk-ies and supper time, but more importantly, it was when her human came back home after spending an eternity at the horrible place he called ‘work’. She would wait by the window and listen for the tell-tale click of the door, and when her dad stepped into the entryway, she would be right there, waiting to give him much-deserved cuddles and kisses.

The next best part about four o’ clock would be when her human grabbed her leash and ball, and take her out to the park across the street, where she could romp and run to her hearts content. Then, after an hour or two of it being the Best Day EverTM , they would walk home -her dad would sometimes carry her if she got too tired- and she would be fed the finest food ever known to dog-kind. As her dad always said, only the best for her since she was the best girl in the world. And when the sky got dark and her human was done fussing with washing his face, he would climb into bed, and Blue would curl up next to him, making sure his sleep was peaceful before slipping into slumber herself.  

This was her average day, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s a simple dog, with simple needs: walks, food, love- and her human always made sure she got just that. That’s why she wanted the best for him as well. She loved her human, even when he yells at her for getting into the trash, or trying to start a fight with those snobby Siamese cats who lived in the apartment next door when they _clearly_ deserve it.

She also loves her human because he’s like a dog himself. He’s always happy, and he loves to have other humans come over to socialize -Blue basks in the attention she gets whenever this happens. Her favorite humans, other than her dad of course, are the large human male and tiny human female that often come home with her dad when he returns from work. They’re nice, and they give her lots of food and belly-rubs.

But, lately, she hasn’t seen nor smelt them. In fact, she hasn’t seen much of anyone for a while, other than her dad and the people she runs into on her daily walks. Their house has been so quiet, without the hustle and bustle of people laughing and chatting. Her dad seems to be quiet too, and a frown can be found on his face more often than a smile. Blue prides herself in being able to make her dad grin when she cuddles or plays with him, but it doesn’t last very long, especially when he checks his phone and sees something that makes his good mood deteriorate.

She’s beginning to hate his phone. And she hates her dad’s frowns! If only she knew what was making him sad, then she could chase it away and he’ll be happy again! She needs to sniff around and listen up to find some clues, and then maybe she can find the answer to the return of her dad’s happiness.

Blue sighs to herself as she lays on the couch next to her dad. He’s talking to the large human male, only this time he’s a tiny image on her dad’s laptop instead of in real life. The hand scratching behind her ear stops for a minute as her dad speaks to his friend, and Blue perks up to listen.

“I dunno Hunk. Airfare is pretty expensive, and I’ve been strapped for cash lately.” Her dad sighed and runs a hand through his hair. “If only I got that promotion.” He muttered to himself, too quiet for his friend to hear, but not for Blue’s keen ears. Her dad’s friend made a sympathetic noise.

“I’m sorry to hear that dude. Y’know, you could try to find a job up here! There’s lots of businesses opening up, and I’m sure you could find something.”

Blue’s dad shook his head and continued to scratch her ears.

“Maybe, but then I would have to find an apartment that’s cheap and allows pets, and that itself would be a huge blow to my account.” He says, and leans on Blue a bit more. She gets the hint, and lays her head on his lap to comfort him.

“Then why don’t you stay with us?” The large human asked excitedly, “Katie wouldn’t mind, and we’d be more than happy to help you find a place to stay once you get a stable job.”

Blue’s dad firmly shook his head.

“No. I don’t want to impose on you guys. You literally just got married like, what, a month ago? I don’t want impose on you when you’re still trying to organize the chaos in your own lives.” Blue’s human smiled, but it’s not a very happy one. “I’ll be fine here. For another year or two at least.”

The large human opened his mouth to say something when a smaller figure appeared on the screen.

“Hey loser, what’s up?!” The petite female smirks at Blue’s dad. “I was wondering when you were going to call. Apparently my _loving husband_ didn’t see it fit to tell me when you two were skyping.” She poked the larger man in the ribs, and he gave her a slightly sheepish smile. 

“Sorry hun, but you were busy with that computer, and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

The woman snorted, but her gaze softened.

“Alright, as long as you tell me next time.” There’s a screech as she dragged a chair next to the larger human’s and she sat down. She smiled excitedly and leaned forward so her face took up most of the camera.

“Hiya Lance! How’s it going? Any big plans for Valentine’s Day?”

Blue’s human suddenly flinches, and Blue looks up in alarm. There’s a grimace on his face, and the human woman on the screen sees it too. The woman’s face falls as she sits back and looks at him with concern. “What happened?” She asks; her voice lost its previous upbeat tone. Blue’s dad doesn’t look at her, and busies himself with rubbing Blue’s ears.

“Nothing really-” He begins, but the woman cut him off.

“Bullshit. Did that bitch Tiffany do something? I never liked her.” Her eyes narrowed, and Blue thinks that she resembles a furious cat. Blue’s dad leans back into the couch and sighs.

“I got dumped, ok. Really, it’s no big deal. It’s not like it’s the first time.”

There it is again, that sad tone that makes Blue want to bite at whatever is stealing her dad’s happiness. In an effort to help, she leans up and licks his cheek, satisfied when that gets her a huff of laughter.

“Lance.” Blue’s attention is drawn back to the large human through the screen. “What happened? And don’t say nothing, because we can tell something’s up.” The other human’s tone was stern, but not unkind. Blue’s dad stopped petting her, and he furrows his eyebrows. He waved a hand in the air, as if trying to appear nonchalant about everything.

“It wasn’t anything serious. She told me she was going to have Valentines dinner with someone else, but it’s no big deal.”

“Lance, you’ve been planning that date for weeks!” The small female sounded incredulous. “And after you spent so much time in your relationship with her and gave her everything you could, she now just suddenly ditches you for another guy? That _bitch_!”

The human’s anger was growing, and she stood suddenly and slammed her hands on the table. Blue’s ears flopped back in surprise, and her human flinched. “I’m coming down there, and I’m going to make her life hell!” The woman growled, and her husband had to put a gentle hand on her arm to calm her down. The large man murmured reassuring words to her and managed to coax her back into sitting down. Blue’s human smiled slightly at them.

“Thanks, but there’s no need. As least I know now that she’s not the one…” His smile was pained, making Blue whine sadly and nuzzle her head into his chest. Her human’s male friend looked about as sad as her human did.

“Oh Lance,” he said softly, “you’ll find someone eventually. You’re amazing, and sooner or later, you’ll find someone who can see that!”

The woman nodded at this.

“Hunk’s right! And besides, you don’t _need_ a boyfriend or girlfriend to tell you how great you are! Know that you’re too good for anyone, and they should be lucky to even be in your presence!” Her voice held conviction, and Blue’s human’s smile turned genuine.

“Maybe you’re right…” He said slowly, and the woman snorted.

“I _know_ I’m right! Don’t let those bitches and bastards get you down!” She pumped her fists into the air with so much force she nearly fell over, and Blue’s human laughed. It was a wonderful noise, and Blue wagged her tail at hearing it after what seemed like years. The larger human on the screen smiled at his wife and friend.

“Don’t beat yourself up over this Lance.” He said. “And hey, we’ll skype you on Valentine’s Day! We can even point the screen at the TV and watch a movie together like we used to do before me and Katie moved!”

Blue’s human looked cheered at the thought, but then shook his head.

“Thanks for the offer, but you two deserve that time for yourselves. Besides,” he gave his friends a jaunty wink, “I have to keep that timeframe open in case I get myself a date with a real cutie.”

His friends chuckled, and soon the conversation drifted towards the topic of work, and Blue zoned out. As her dad talked, she thought to herself. This ‘date’- whatever it was- seemed like a prospect that humans hold in high regard. But why? Was it something fun like chasing a Frisbee through the park? If it was, then Blue understood why humans like it so much. But… chasing a Frisbee requires two members to play, one to throw, and one to catch. Is a date similar? Does it require two people? Probably, since her dad is looking for someone to have a ‘date’ with.

She glanced back up at the screen with the two humans. They were sitting close next to each other, and when their eyes met, they shone with obvious affection and love, and it was more…warm -more amorous than familial love. Blue then looked back up at her human. Whenever her human’s friends had that look for one another, her human got this longing gaze, like it was something he desired but could never get; kind of like the dog treats on top of the fridge that Blue _really_ wants but can never jump high enough to grab. If only she could reach those dog treats, then she’d be content….

Suddenly, it hit her. She sat up so suddenly that her human looked at her in alarm.

“You alright girl?” Her dad asked, obviously concerned, but she wasn’t listening to him. It was so simple! If she could get her human someone who looks at him like the two on the screen look at each other, then his happiness would return! Her tail wagged in excitement at the idea. This was it, she could make her dad happy again! Now all she had to do was figure out how…

Her dad was staring at her, but she ignored him and leapt off the couch. She trotted towards the window and gazed out. The streetlamps shone on the people who were still out, even at this time of night. Most were in pairs, but some were alone, walking with their phones to their ears or listening to their headphones. There are so many people in the world, how would she be able to find someone that would have The Look whenever they saw her human? Her tail thumped thoughtfully on the carpet as she stared intently out, trying to think of a plan.

“Blue, what’s wrong? Do you see something?” Her dad asked, and walked up next to her. He pulled aside the blinds on the window and peered out. He squinted into the darkness; down at the sidewalk several stories below. Behind him, his friend’s voices drifted from the laptop, asking what was going on. Her human looked around for a moment, before letting the blinds drop and patting Blue’s head.

“There’s nothing out there, girl.” He told her, and Blue resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course there’s something out there! The one with The Look was out there, only Blue just didn’t know where. Her human didn’t understand her, like usual, and he patted her head again before walking back to the couch.

“Is Blue alright?” The male friend asked from the laptop. Blue didn’t look behind her, but she could tell that her human nodded.

“Yeah. She must’ve heard something. A car maybe.” He answered. The woman spoke next.

“Maybe she wants out?” She suggested, and Blue’s human made a negative humming noise.

“Nah, I just took her out to the park not too long ago. She’s normally too tuckered out to go around again.”

The park! That’s it! Another lightbulb flashed in Blue’s head. What better place to find a good human and be able to get up close to them than the park? There’s a bunch of humans who go there every day, and Blue’s sure that she’ll be able to find someone there. She huffed in satisfaction and trotted back to the couch, where she plopped down next to her human and rested her head contently in his lap. He chuckled slightly and patted her head.

“Weird dog.” He murmured affectionately. Blue wagged her tail.

‘Don’t worry dad,’ she thought to herself, ‘you’ll be happy in no time! I promise!’

Her ears continued to be scratched, and Blue let herself drift away into sleep.

* * *

The next day, Blue’s plan was put into action. She sat diligently by the window as usual, waiting until four o’ clock. There was more pent up energy in her than usual, and she couldn’t help but wag her tail nervously as she gazed across the street at the park. She watched as dogs and their humans came and went, and Blue slowly grew more and more anxious.

Her human was late. Or, maybe not, but it felt like it! At this rate, they would miss their chance at the prime time in the park! But just as she let out a huff and laid her head on her paws, she heard the front door click.

“Hey Blue! I’m home!” Her dad’s melodious voice rang through the hallway, like a bell to signal the end of the torturous waiting Blue had to endure. Scrambling over her paws, Blue shot up and ran towards her human. He laughed as she leapt into his arms, nearly knocking him over. “Hey baby girl! I’m happy to see you too!” He turned his head so he would avoid getting dog slobber in his mouth as Blue covered him in kisses.

Blue was so happy! Her dad was home, and now they could play and run in the park and cuddle and-

Oh, right, the plan. Blue nearly forgot in her excitement. She fell back onto all fours and trotted to over to pick up her leash in her mouth. Her human smiled at her as she nudged his leg with her head, whining and presenting the leash.

“You’re really hyper today. Did you get into the trash again?” He playfully chided and took the leash from her mouth. Blue snorted at his insinuation and pawed at the door, taking care to avoid scratching it with her nails. Her human chuckled and clipped her leash to her collar. “All right all right. I literally just got home, but I guess I can go right back out again for you.” He placed a kiss on her head and opened the door.

Blue couldn’t help but tug on her leash all the way to their destination. Her human had to sternly correct her several times, and Blue sheepishly fell back, only to tug once again a few minutes later. When they finally entered the park, her dad unclipped her leash so she could run around freely. She was a Good Dog; she never strayed too far from him or annoyed the other park-goers, so that’s why her dad trusted her enough to let her off her leash, or at least he did once they were across the street and in the safety of the park.

Instead of immediately bolting towards a large clearing where she normally liked to run and play catch, she trotted down the sidewalk and began human searching. The park was still pretty busy, so it made her job of finding the human with The Look easier. Her dad followed close behind, so Blue could get a good look at the human’s faces whenever they saw him.

After several minutes of walking, she found not a single promising human. Most humans just politely nodded at him, or simply ignored him all together. Some of the passersbys gazed at her human appreciatively as they passed, but it wasn’t what she was looking for. On one rare occasion, there was a human who gave her dad a look she didn’t quite like, so she made sure to give them a dirty glare and send them running with their metaphorical tail between their legs.

They were now nearly at the end of the trail, and Blue could feel her ears drooping. Her plan wasn’t nearly as easy as she thought it would be. There were just too many foolish humans who couldn’t see how wonderful her dad was. Blue slowed her pace, and a horrible thought came to her.

What would happen if she couldn’t find a human for her dad? Would he be sad forever? If that happened, then would she become a dog who couldn’t even make her human happy? Would she become a…a… _Bad Dog_? She gasped in horror. No! She can’t fail her human! He’s made her happy all her life, now it’s her turn to do the same for him! She can’t give up just yet!

Before she had a chance to speed up her pace, her human’s phone rang, startling her nearly out of her fur. She glared at the offending piece of technology and sat down on the grass to impatiently wait until her dad stopped talking. Her dad moved to the edge of the pathway so he wouldn’t be in the way of other park-goers, and Blue rested her head on her paws to watch the other humans go by.

Her dad could talk a long time, and it seemed like now wasn’t any different. Blue gave a wide yawn, and was about to nudge at her dad and tell him to hurry, when an approaching human caught her eye. She didn’t really know why her eyes were drawn to this human, maybe because he looked a bit more… striking than the others? His hair was much darker than her dad’s- and not as curly- and was pulled up in a small ponytail so it wouldn’t get in his face as he jogged. Blue wasn’t the best at judging human attractiveness, but she assumed that his tank top showed off his shapely arms quite nicely, though his legs weren’t nearly as long and sleek as her human’s.

Blue watched with slight interest as he grew closer. When he was a few feet away, the jogging human’s eyes drifted towards her. She had to admit, they were nice eyes. They were a pretty shade of violet, and she could see the kindness in them. The human gave her a small smile, and Blue’s tail wagged; she liked it when humans acknowledged her adorableness. Then, the jogging human’s eyes drifted up towards her human, and they grew wide.

Suddenly, she saw it. The Look. It was gone in an instant, but it was there! She abruptly sat up and watched intently as the jogging human’s pace slowed slightly. His eyes were frozen on her human, and when he jogged passed them, his head turned so he could continue looking at her human. Then, because his eyes were glued on something other than the path, the jogging human ran straight into a trash can.

Blue winced as the can clattered against the cement as it swayed, and she watched as the clumsy human awkwardly scrambled to keep it up right. Blue’s human didn’t notice anything, he was still too busy talking on his phone. Blue looked back to the clumsy human, whose face was now a shade of red that made Blue briefly concerned over whether or not it was normal for humans to turn that color. The human quickly glanced back up at Blue’s human, and looked conflicted for a moment before turning around and running down the path, away from them.

Blue stood up in alarm. No! He was getting away! He had The Look, but now she wouldn’t be able to bring him to her dad! She let out a bark, and did what her dad always told her not to do, run off without him. She heard her human cry out and begin chasing after her. Good, now she’d be able to lead him to the clumsy human.

She sprinted as fast as she could down the pathway, looking left and right for the human with The Look, but there was no sign of him. She stopped to sniff the ground in hopes of catching his scent, but it was in vain. Her human cried out again, closer this time, but right before he could grab her, she bolted again. She had to find the human! She just had to! 

Blue came to a fork in the path, and she skid to a stop. She panted heavily as she looked from one path to another. Which way could he have gone? Her hesitance gave her human enough time to snag her collar and clip on her leash.

“Blue! Don’t run off like that!” He managed to scold her as he caught his breath. He stood up and began leading her out of the park, away from any chance she had to find the clumsy human. “I know you like chasing squirrels, but you scared me to death! I thought I was going to lose you!” Her human continued to chide as they crossed the street towards their apartment. Blue snorted at him. Of course he’d think that she was chasing _squirrels_. His cluelessness amazed her sometimes.

All the same, Blue felt bad for making her dad disappointed in her, so she obediently followed him into the house and sat solemnly while he filled her food bowl. Her human seemed to notice her change in demeanor, and he knelt down next to her. He reached up and gently scratched her ears.

“I know you like to run girl, and I’m sorry for talking so long on the phone. But you can’t just bolt without me there to keep an eye on you. What if someone dognaps you? Or worse…” He shuddered, and then placed a loving kiss on the side of her muzzle. Immediately, Blue’s tail began to wag again. She knew her dad would forgive her! To reassure him that she still loved him, she kissed him on the face. She missed his cheeks, and got his lips instead. He sputtered and scrubbed his mouth with his sleeve, and she took this opportunity to kiss him on the rest of his face.

He laughed as he fell backwards and she stood on top of his chest, licking his cheeks and chin and wagging her tail excitedly. “Ok, ok! Blue, I love you too, now get off of me you big lug!” He managed to gently push her off of him and sit up. Blue grinned as she leaned against his lap and basked in the ear scratches he was giving her. “Don’t worry girl, we’ll go to the park again tomorrow, and you can chase all the squirrels you want.” He told her, as if she were still concerned about the dang squirrels. Then, his words processed in her brain. They would be going back to the park again tomorrow! That meant she had another chance to find the clumsy human again!

She gave her human another barrage of kisses, making him squeal as she kissed him on the lips again. He laughed and managed to stand up. “I’m glad you’re excited. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go wash off your slobber. You’re adorable, but your spit is really bad for the complexion.” He patted her head one last time before disappearing into the bathroom. Blue’s ears twitched as the noise of the shower filled the background, and she decided that now would be a good time to go find her chew toy. She needed to think about her plan for tomorrow, and what better way to do it than while munching the head off of her stuffed squirrel? That fuzzy little bastard had it coming for a long time now anyways.

* * *

The next day was similar to the previous. Blue waited anxiously by the window until four o’ clock, and she nearly tripped over herself trying to get to the door when her human finally returned. Once again, she grabbed her leash and nudged him with it before her human even had a chance to sit down. He shook his head with amusement, and he clipped the leash to her collar. She gave her human enough time to grab a book before ushering him out the door.  

The sun shone brightly as usual, and the air buzzed with activity as several humans jogged, biked, or skated by, some with their dogs running happily beside them. Blue was tempted to go play with some of the dogs that were accumulating in the large field by the pond, but she had a mission that she had to complete first.

Her human was walking slower than usual, and when he came to a bench that was underneath a shady willow tree, he immediately collapsed on it and let his head fall back. Blue jumped on the bench to sit beside him and laid her head in his lap. He looked tired, more so than usual, but this would fix that. She found out a while ago that if humans sit down in a quiet place for a long period of time and read a book, they usually began to relax and feel refreshed. Or, that’s how it worked with her human at least.

As her human picked up his book and began to read, Blue let her gaze wonder over the pond. It was calm, save for a few ripples made by the ducks. She liked ducks, better than squirrels at least. They weren’t as fun to chase, but they didn’t go out of their way to tease her, and if she focused really hard, she could understand some of their words through the funny noises they made. A family of ducks swam leisurely by, and their quacking mixed with the distant voices of excited humans playing, resulting in a peaceful background noise.

Blue sighed in contentment, and leaned further into her human’s petting. This position also had an advantage in that she could see the pathway running by the bench, so Blue would be able to keep an eye out for the clumsy human. She watched as humans and dogs came and went, all interesting in their own way, but none were the one she was looking for. Blue closed her eyes and sighed. Maybe he wasn’t coming. Maybe he had some other commitment to do, or maybe he just didn’t care enough about her dad to look for him.

She wanted to growl at this thought, but didn’t so she wouldn’t alarm her dad.  The sounds of ducks continued to float through the air, and occasionally, a goose would honk nearby. Now of geese, Blue was absolutely terrified. They were mean, and they wouldn’t hesitate to chase Blue down and bite her. But she would be ok, as long as she didn’t go near them. Besides, her dad would protect her if they attacked.

A new noise suddenly reached her ears through the chatter of ducks and people. Steady footfalls on pavement grew louder, signaling that someone was approaching. Someone who was jogging. Someone who might be the one Blue was looking for.

Her eyes popped open and zeroed in on the approaching figure. It _was_ him! Praise Snoopy and the other dog gods! Blue sat up and wagged her tail as clumsy human approached. She made sure to set her front paws on the back of the bench and sit up taller so he wouldn’t miss her.

He didn’t, and he certainly didn’t miss her human next to her. His eyes snapped to him, and he froze in his spot. Of course, Blue’s dad was still focused on his book, so he didn’t realize the important event that was taking place. Blue barked excitedly and wagged her tail in order to catch his attention, but he merely rubbed her back absentmindedly and didn’t look up. Blue turned to the clumsy human and yipped in attempt to invite him over. She would run towards him, but she didn’t want to make her dad upset again by running off.

The clumsy human looked at her, and then back at her human. He swallowed, looking nervous, and then slowly started to approach them. Blue’s tail wagged faster. This was it! They were finally going to meet!

Unfortunately, it was at this exact moment a biker zoomed by the clumsy human, nearly colliding with him. Clumsy human stumbled back with surprise, and tripped as he accidentally stepped off the concrete and onto the grass. Before Blue could blink, there was a sudden flurry of wings and angry hissing. The clumsy human had apparently fallen near a clutch of goose eggs, and the mother was _not happy_.

The mother goose honked and hissed while she batted clumsy human with her wings. The human scrambled to his feet and ran away with the goose hot on his heels. Blue groaned and flopped back down, she would run after him, but she didn’t want to anger her dad again. Plus, geese were scary, and she didn’t want to mess with them.

Cursing her bad luck, she leaned her head against her dad’s lap. Again, the human with The Look escaped, and her dad hadn’t even _seen_ him.  Even after all the commotion the clumsy human made, her dad hadn’t looked up from his book, and Blue wanted to whack him with her tail for his idiocy. Why couldn’t her dad just understand that his happiness was _right there_! If only he stopped and looked, like Blue did.

But even after this failure, Blue was hopeful. If the human was here today, then that meant he would most likely be here tomorrow! Blue would just have to try harder next time, and hopefully, there would be no geese there to ruin it.

* * *

The next day found Blue laying outside her human’s bathroom, waiting for him to change his clothes. She had waited by the window for him to come home as usual, but instead of grabbing her leash right after he walked through the door, her human grabbed some clothes from his closet and disappeared into the bathroom. He hadn’t been in there for very long, but Blue didn’t want to wait any longer. They were already burning daylight, and they just _couldn’t_ let clumsy human escape again!

Blue whined and pawed at the wood separating her and her dad.

“Just a second Blue, I’ll be right out.” His muffled voice drifted through the door, and Blue huffed. ‘Just a second’ he says. Well it’s been _five_ seconds, and he still hasn’t come out yet! She pawed at the door again, and _finally_ the door swung open. “Alright, alright. I’m ready.” Her dad said as he walked over to grab her leash. Blue’s ears perked up with excitement when she saw him wearing his exercise clothes, and all thoughts of her plan to find clumsy human escaped her mind. She’s learned to associate her human’s shorts and tank top with running, and that meant one thing.

When her dad grabbed her Frisbee and tennis ball, her assumptions were confirmed. Barking happily, she practically leapt at her human, trying to kiss him and show her excitement. Her human smiled and ruffled the fur on the top of her head, managing to calm her down enough for him to attach her leash.

He grabbed his drawstring bag before unlocking the door and stepping outside with Blue following close behind. Once outside, Blue could feel the sun beating down on her fur, and she was glad that it was always warm where they lived, so she didn’t have to grow a winter coat. She trotted beside her human as he jogged to the park, and when he finally unclipped her leash, she ran slightly ahead of him to the large clearing where they could play. She jumped and turned to face her dad, wagging her tail and barking in hopes of getting him to throw the Frisbee.

Her human jogged to a nearby tree and set his bag down before pulling out the Frisbee. He grinned at Blue before readying it in his hands.

“You ready girl?” He asked, and he got an enthusiastic bark in return. With a flick of the wrist, the Frisbee was sent flying. Blue whirled around and sprinted after it. She kicked her legs off the ground in a mighty leap, and snapped her jaws around the plastic before falling back to the ground. Within a second, she was back to her human, presenting her catch proudly. He praised her, making her tail wag with satisfaction, and readied the Frisbee again.

After several rounds of catch, Blue was starting to tucker out, and she wasn’t the only one. Her human was sweating, and his face slightly flushed from all the running he did to catch up to Blue whenever she playfully kept the Frisbee away from him. He squinted at the sun, which was starting to set.

“I’ll throw it one more time girl, and then we’ll go home.” He told Blue, before running to go pick up the Frisbee from where Blue left it on the ground. Blue was about to run after him, when a familiar figure appeared in the corner of her eye.

She whipped her head around, and when she saw the clumsy human jogging down the path, she immediately remembered her original goal. How could she forget something so important? Well… in her defense, Frisbee is really _really_ distracting. She watched the human intently as he approached. He was turning his head from side to side, apparently looking for something. She barked, to capture his attention, and his head snapped towards her.

His eyes widened when he saw her, and then his gaze wondered around her, searching for someone else. His eyes locked on to her human, and his face turned the exact shade of a ripe tomato. Blue turned and sprinted to her dad, determined to grab his attention and lead him to the clumsy human. Once again, her human didn’t understand, and assumed that she wanted the Frisbee to be thrown. He smiled at her and gripped the Frisbee.

“Ready girl?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer before flicking the Frisbee from his hand. Blue’s gaze involuntarily followed the flying disk as soared through the air. Then it curved, and collided with a tree, successfully getting caught in the branches. Blue’s human cursed, and started towards the tree, his shorts accidentally hiking up as he ran.

Blue heard a small noise behind her, like a cross between a choke and a gasp, and she turned around to see the clumsy human staring after her human with wide eyes and gaping mouth. He was so focused on staring, that he didn’t notice when he jogged off the path, and promptly fell into the pond.

If Blue had hands, she would be face-palming so hard right now. Clumsy human emerged from the water, gasping and flailing with surprise. A water reed was hanging limply from his hair, and mud was splattered across his arms and chest. Having pity on him, Blue trotted to the edge of the lake and gave a small woof, asking him if he was ok. Clumsy human looked at her, and then dragged himself from the water with a grimace. Blue sniffed at him, and licked his hand in hopes of making him feel better. She’s never been this close to clumsy human before, and even after his dump in the lake, she could smell his warm and spicy scent. It was a good smell, and she was sure her dad would like it also.

Clumsy human gave a small laugh, and scratched her ears, making her tail wag happily. Oh yeah, he was a good human alright. Her dad then called out for her, making clumsy human flinch violently. Blue looked over her shoulder, and saw her dad looking around, trying to find her. He was walking towards them, but he hadn’t seen them yet. Blue panted happily, but she felt clumsy human shift away. Surprised, she looked up and saw with alarm that clumsy human was backing away from them.

Why was he trying to get away again? Didn’t he want to meet her human? Well she wouldn’t let him get away this time! She quickly grabbed his shorts with her mouth and tried yanking him towards her dad. Clumsy human made a startled noise, and tried wriggling out of her grasp. She growled softly, and pulled harder. Her dad called her name again, sounding closer, and clumsy human looked panicked. He took this moment of Blue’s brief distraction to frantically rip himself away from her grip. He stumbled backwards, before breaking out in to a sprint in the opposite direction of where her dad was. Blue stared after him dumbly, with a shred of clumsy human’s shorts still hanging from her mouth.

“There you are! I was wondering where you wondered off to!” Her dad appeared at her side. “Huh? What’s this?” He gazed curiously at the fabric in her mouth. “Oh Blue, what did you get into this time?” He softly chided as he gently took the item out of Blue’s mouth. Blue continued to stare at the path where clumsy human had disappeared.

Why does this keep _happening_? Was he really _that_ scared of her dad, that he kept on running away? But he had The Look! Didn’t that mean he would be happy with her human? Blue thought she had it all figured out… but maybe she was mistaken. She let out a sad whine and dropped her head. How was she supposed to make her dad happy now?

Her human knelt beside her, and gently stroked her back. “Are you ok, baby Blue?” He asked quietly. She looked at him, and saw that his eyes shone with concern. She didn’t like that, so she gave him a kiss on the face to make it better. Her human chuckled, and then stood up. After brushing the grass from his knees, he clipped her collar back on.

“I bet you’re tired, bud. Let’s go home.” He said, and Blue reluctantly agreed. She slowly stood up, and gave the place where clumsy human had vanished one last longing glance before letting her human lead her out of the park. She knew she had a chance to find the human again tomorrow, but if he kept running away, then what was the point?

Once home, she ate her dinner with less gusto than usual, and curled up with her human as he sat on the couch, watching TV. She laid her head in his lap and stared up at him. He wasn’t looking at her, and instead was gazing at the screen where the animated princess was singing to a bunch of animals. Her human’s expression was slightly better than the other day, but a trace of melancholy still remained in his eyes. Other humans might not be able to tell, but Blue could. She could always tell.

 She leaned over and licked at his hand, snuggling closer to his chest. Her dad looked down at her, and his look softened. He bent down and nuzzled his cheek onto her head.

“Love you baby Blue.” He whispered, and kissed her forehead before sinking into the couch, letting her curl up closer to his chest. Blue wagged her tail once, and let her human cuddle her as they continued to watch the television screen. Tomorrow, she hoped, would be better. Clumsy human may keep running away, but he still had The Look, and that was something she could work with. She just had to be patient, and hopefully, her dad would be patient as well.

* * *

The next morning, Blue was curled up on her human’s bed, with her head laying contently on his pillow. The time her human normally wakes up at had passed, so Blue assumed it was one of those days when her human didn’t have to go to work. These days were normally the best; she was able to spend the entire day with her dad and play and cuddle as much as she wanted. However, today was slightly different. For one, he had woken up early anyways, and was now in the bathroom, humming to himself and washing his face.

Blue was upset at the lack of lazy morning cuddles, and she huffed at him when he walked over and ruffled her ears. She stared as he then began rustling through his closet. He hummed thoughtfully as he eyed a couple of his shirts.

“What do ya think girl? Which color do you think Mia would like?” Her human questioned her, and then held up a wine-red button up for her to inspect. She gazed at it for a second before snorting. Her dad nodded and put it back in the closet. “Yeah, you’re right. Red’s a bit too much for a first date. How about this one?” He held up a purple Polo shirt, and Blue narrowed her eyes before turning her head away from it. Her dad chuckled and put it back. “That’s definitely a no, huh? Alright, this?” He held up a sky-blue button up, and she stared at it before wagging her tail once. Her human grinned at her and pulled the shirt off of its hanger. “Good choice, pupper. This’ll bring out my eyes, they’re my best feature after all.”

Smirking to himself, Blue’s human scratched her ears before pulling off his nightshirt and throwing on a light tank top. Blue didn’t care if she saw her human in a state of undress, but she turned her head out of common decency anyways. She heard a rustling as her human pulled on his favorite pair of dark jeans that, to quote her human, ‘made his ass look hot’. Once he was finished, Blue turned her head to examine him again. Her human buttoned up his shirt and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows before strolling to the bathroom.

He hummed happily to himself again as he began applying what humans call ‘foundation’ and ‘mascara’, of which Blue had learned were tools to enhance the attractiveness of a human. Blue didn’t see why her dad needed them, he was already a beautiful human in her eyes. Nevertheless, her human put them on, and then added a faint layer of clear lip gloss for a final touch.

Blue’s eyes followed him as she examined his mood. He looked happier today, less lonely and more hopeful, which was a huge improvement in Blue’s opinion. Maybe her dad didn’t need her help after all. Blue sighed, and stood up to stretch her stiff muscles. The bed shook as she leapt off and trotted to her squeaky toy. It made a shrill squeal as she bit into it and began to chew. The rubber material was pleasing to munch on, and Blue liked the funny noises it made when she bit down really hard.

Her dad stepped out of the bathroom and pulled on his shoes. After pausing to pet Blue, he walked into the hallway to gather up his keys and wallet. Blue picked up her toy and followed him, wanting to be in his presence for as long as possible before he left her for a few hours, which to her felt like days. Her human was about to grab his wallet when his phone buzzed.

Frowning, he reached down and pulled it out of his pocket. As his eyes scanned the words on the screen, his face fell. In fact, his entire demeanor fell: his shoulders slumped, and his eyes flashed with hurt. He read the words again, and his lips pursed into a thin line as his eyes grew watery. Without a word, he walked to the couch and collapsed onto it. His phone bounced off the cushions before falling onto the carpet as Blue’s human held his head in his hands.

Blue could feel the negative energy radiating off of him, and her toy fell to the ground, forgotten, as she quietly padded over to her human. She stood in front of him for a minute, but he didn’t move. She then prodded his hand with her nose, whining sadly. Her human stiffened, and moved his hands so his arms were curled around his chest. His eyebrows were furrowed, almost painfully so, and it looked like he was trying hard not to cry. He let out a small huff of laugher and tried to grin at Blue.

“Heh, it looks like I was dumped again, bud. Better add another checkmark to the list…”

A bead of water plopped onto his jeans. Then another, and another, until his cheeks were streaked with tears. He didn’t wail, or sob, or scream, like the women did on the TV shows. He just quietly sat there, shaking slightly as silent tears ran down his face.

Blue thought that it was the most distressing thing she’s ever seen.

Blue couldn’t stop the tears, or make him being ‘dumped’ better, but as least she could give him her love. As gently as she could, she rested her head on his lap, slightly nudging his hands with her nose. Her ears flopped down, and she gave a crying whine of her own as her heart sobbed with her human’s. Hands rested on her head, and slowly began petting her. They scratched behind her ears, ran down the back of her head and towards her neck, and stroked the fur on the side of her face. She didn’t move from her spot for several minutes, until the tears slowed and her human’s breathing returned to normal.

Her human sniffed, and reached up to rub his nose. He grinned at her and kissed the top of her muzzle.

“Thanks girl. You’re a good dog.” He whispered. Blue’s ears perked slightly at the praise, and she removed her head from his lap as he sighed and slumped backwards into the couch. Scowling, he stared up at the ceiling and let his arms rest on the back of the cushions. “…Valentine’s Day _sucks_.” He hissed, and brought up one arm to rest over his eyes. Blue stared at him, and her ears began to flick in thought. She had to cheer up her human, but how? They couldn’t talk to each other, nor could she bring him his friends so they could talk to him.

She tried to think of what she did whenever she felt sad. Chewing on her toys helped, but she doubted that it would work for him in this situation. Dog treats were always awesome, but Blue didn’t know how to reach the sugary human food her dad keeps in the pantry or the freezer. Her gaze scanned the room, until they landed on her leash hanging by the door. Her ears flipped up and her tongue rolled out as an idea came to her.

A walk! That would cheer him up! He loved going to the park, and seeing all the people and dogs there, as well as relaxing by the water! She wouldn’t even worry about the clumsy human today; right now, it’s all about making her human feel better! She ran over and stood on her hind legs with her front paws propped on the wall in order to reach her leash. Grabbing it with her teeth, she pulled it down, and trotted back to her human.

She plopped the leash into his lap and panted excitedly. Her human removed his arm from his face and looked down at her. One of his eyebrows raised up and his frown deepened.

“Blue, really. Not now girl, I don’t feel like taking you out.”

That’s what he claimed, but Blue knew that it would make him feel better. She insistently nudged the leash, and her human scowled before taking it and setting it to the side. “Blue, no.” He said sternly, and he then stood up and walked to his bedroom, probably to curl up in the bed and not leave until that evening. Blue snorted and followed him. This time, it was her turn to put her foot down -or paw, whatever. She zipped around him and stood between him and the bed. Her human gave her a stern look.

“Blue.” His warning tone told her to back down, but she didn’t. Blue returned his stern look, and let out a loud bark. Her human jumped in surprise and took a step back. Blue _never_ barked at him like that, but he didn’t give her much of a choice.  

“What’s wrong with you girl? You’ve been so weird lately, do you need to go to the vet?”

Blue shuddered at the word, but she couldn’t let it distract her. Her human still didn’t get it, so she would once again spell it out for him. She huffed and ran around him to the couch, returning with the leash in her mouth. Her dad groaned when she set the leash on his feet. “Really Blue, I don’t-” Another bark cut him off, and he sighed heavily. Defeated, he bent down and grabbed the leash, and when he straightened, he threw his hands in the air and turned towards the door.

“Fine!” He exclaimed. “Fine! You win. But I’m not happy with you, young lady. No treats tonight, you hear me?”

Blue wagged her tail furiously. Losing her nightly treats was worth her human’s happiness. He grumpily clipped her leash to her collar, and checked to make sure he didn’t have any makeup smearing his face before stepping out of his apartment with Blue in tow.

The air buzzed with a strange activity once they stepped outside. More couples than usual strolled passed, arms and hands linked as they giggled and chatted with each other. Families strolled leisurely through the park, many of them looking to be in a better mood than usual. Flowers seemed to pop up everywhere, whether it be from a bush in the park or in a bouquet that was handed to a sweetheart. The park itself seemed to be in full bloom as the aura of the holiday hovered through the air. The trees and grass appeared greener, and the birdsongs were sweeter to the ear. The air was perfumed by soft flowers that appeared in every color.

Blue made sure to be on extra good behavior for her dad on the walk. She didn’t pull, nor did she stray far from him. Even when he unhooked her leash, she trotted next to him, occasionally reaching up and giving his hand a comforting lick. She caught her human staring a bit more harshly than usual at passing couples, but otherwise showed no trace of his previous heartbreak. They reached their favorite bench, which was surprisingly unoccupied, considering its perfect location under a willow tree next to the pond.

Her human sat down with a sigh, and watched as ducks floated across the water. Blue jumped next to him and cuddled into his side. Despite his previous wariness, her human seemed to be soothed by the calming atmosphere around them. He closed his eyes, and was apparently enjoying the sounds of birdsong and ducks quacking.

Blue was about to join him, when a figure caught her eye. She shot up, and her tail wagged so hard that it painfully collided with the metal of the bench. Clumsy human was here, but he hadn’t noticed them yet. He wasn’t wearing exercise clothes today, and Blue barely recognized him in his dress-shirt and slacks. He was talking on his phone with an irritated expression, and his hair is slightly disheveled. It looks like he’s been having a rough day as well.

He was about to pass them by, but Blue wouldn’t let him. Done with beating around the bush, she let out a loud bark, and leapt over the edge of the bench and sprinted towards him. Her dad let out a shout of alarm and scrambled after her. Clumsy human looked up with surprise, and let out an ‘oof’ as she practically threw herself at him. Her front paws dug into his stomach, but he didn’t seem to mind. He clicked off his phone and pushed it into his pocket before rubbing her ears affectionately.

“Hello again.” He mumbled at her, and Blue liked the sound of his voice. Her tongue flopped out and she leaned into his scratches.

“Blue! Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Blue’s human cried out as he ran towards them. Clumsy human looked like a deer in the headlights when Blue’s human approached them and grabbed Blue’s leash. Clumsy human stopped scratching her ears- and maybe stopped breathing- and his body went tense. Blue’s human froze when his eyes met the other human’s.

“K-Keith! I- uh- I wasn’t expecting to run into you here.” Blue’s human stuttered out. He awkwardly shoved his hands into his pockets, only for him to take them out again and nervously pick at his fingers. He continued, now avoiding the other human’s gaze. “I thought you had a date today.” Blue’s ears caught the strange tone her human had, and she cocked her head with confusion. Did her human already know clumsy human?

Clumsy human, or Keith she supposed, opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking.

“I-yeah I was. Or I was supposed to, but he canceled last minute.” He answered, and he began scratching Blue’s ears again distractedly. Clumsy human didn’t look particularly upset at the fact of losing his date, Blue noticed. Her own human seemed to perk at this, but he immediately crossed his arms and put on a concerned frown.

“Aw, dude, that sucks. Sorry that happened to you man.”  Blue noticed that her human didn’t sound particularly upset either, but clumsy human didn’t notice.

“Don’t be. I’m actually a bit relieved. I wasn’t really all that interested in him, since it was a blind date some of our coworkers set up.” Clumsy human told him. He then eyed Blue’s human, and then Blue herself. “So, uh, what are you doing out here. Weren’t you going out with…uh-”

“Mia.” Her human said, and clumsy human nodded uncomfortably. He let Blue get off of him and waved his hand in a stiff manner.

“Yeah, her.”

Blue’s human grimaced, and kicked at a rock in the path.

“She, uh, had other things to do today, so it didn’t work out.” He tried to chuckle, but it came out weaker than he probably intended. Clumsy human suddenly stiffened, and his eyes narrowed.

“What?” he said with so much force that Blue’s human’s gaze shot up to him with surprise. “Why would she ask you out, and then just bail on you?” Blue’s human looked flustered, and rubbed the back of his head. He tried to laugh it off again.

“It’s no big deal. It’s not like we were serious or anything…”

Clumsy human snorted angrily.

“Of course it’s a big deal! I can’t believe she would just dump a guy like you! What’s _wrong_ with her?”

Blue’s human’s cheeks grew pink as he stared at clumsy human.

“What do you mean, ‘a guy like me’?” He asked, and clumsy human seemed to realize his fumble. He took a step backwards, and Blue prepared herself in case he tried to run away again.

“I-I just meant- I don’t know why she wouldn’t want to date you. Who wouldn’t? You’re a really nice guy- not to mention funny, easy to talk to, pretty-” His mouth snapped shut when he realized what he said. Blue’s human’s face had erupted in a furious blush, and she could have sworn she saw the heatwaves coming off his cheeks.

“I-I-I-” Her human stuttered. Blue discretely whacked his leg with her tail to get him to say something. “I think you’re pretty too!” He blurted out; Blue winced at the sudden increase in his voice’s volume.

Several very awkward seconds passed, and her human looked like he wanted to throw himself off the nearest cliff. Blue looked up at clumsy human, and was pleased to see that he looked like he was just hit over the head with a hammer. His blush spread all the way up his face and onto his ears and neck.

“T-Thanks.” He managed to say, looking about five seconds away from melting into a puddle. He took another step back. “Well, I-uh- gotta go. I got- uh, plants-to water and stuff, so…”

Blue was having none of his shit. They were _finally_ talking to each other, and she wasn’t about to let clumsy human chicken out. She huffed quietly, and decided to take matters into her own paws. She checked to see if her human still had her leash looped around his wrist before lunging forward. Her human yelped as he stumbled into clumsy human. Blue didn’t stop there. Before they could push each other away, she began circling their legs, wrapping her leash tightly around them and making it impossible for them to move.

The two humans swayed frantically, and were sputtering incoherent words as they tried to lean away from each other. With a single bump from Blue’s hip, the humans went crashing down onto the grass. Blue’s human landed heavily on his back, and Blue winced, knowing that the grass stains on his shirt would be hard to get out. All the same, Blue looked happily down at her handiwork, and sat on the sidewalk to watch the show.

Clumsy human had landed on top of her human, and he was making a sound that sounded like a startled goose and a cat mixed together. He struggled to get off of her human, but it was futile since their legs were tied tightly together. Both humans were so red it looked like they would combust. Clumsy human cursed as he tried to sit up, but once again fell back onto her human, successfully pinning him to the ground.

Blue’s human watched him struggle, and then to the surprise of his dog and the other human, he burst out laughing. He covered his eyes with his hand and let his head fall back onto the grass as he laughed so hard he shook. Clumsy human froze, and gazed down at him with a look of wonder on his face. Blue’s human’s laughs died down enough for him to speak through his guffaws.

“I can’t believe this is happening right now.” He giggled, before continuing to do the only thing he could in this situation: laugh his ass off. A smile grew on clumsy human’s face, and he soon joined in on the laughter. They managed to gain several odd looks from passersbys, but nobody stopped to talk to them, assuming that they were just another frivolous couple in the park.

Blue wagged her tail happily as the humans managed to sit up and untie themselves. They weren’t shying away from each other anymore, now that the original awkwardness was shattered. Clumsy human helped Blue’s human up, and they began brushing the strands of grass from themselves. Their eyes met, and they didn’t look away. Their gazes were so intense, that Blue felt the need to look away to give them a bit of privacy.

Blue’s human blinked, and then he coughed into his hand before stepping away.

“S-Sorry about this. I should go…” Before he could step any further, clumsy human’s hand shot out and grabbed the other’s arm.

“Wait!” He all but shouted. Blue’s human froze, and clumsy human quickly released him. “Ah, sorry. But I meant-uh, would you be interested in getting some lunch? I know a good place, and it allows dogs.”

Blue’s human’s mouth dropped open, and looked like he just heard a miracle.

“Are you…asking me on a date?” He asked cautiously. Clumsy human shyly met his gaze and nodded.

“Yeah, I am. If that’s ok.” He then smiled, and Blue swore she saw her human light up.

“Sure!” Blue’s human’s flustered voice rose a few octaves. “I mean, it’s more than ok, I-uh-“ He cleared his throat and then quickly knelt to pick up Blue’s leash before straightening to look into clumsy human’s eyes. “I’d love to go out with you Keith.” He said, before giving the happiest smile Blue had seen in a long time. Clumsy human looked a bit stunned, and as Blue’s human stepped back onto the sidewalk, he scrambled to follow.

Side-by-side, they began walking down the path together, with Blue trotting happily next to them. Clumsy human inched closer to Blue’s human, and reached over to grab his hand. Blue’s human tightened his grip, and as they grinned sappily at each other, Blue saw The Look, stronger than she had ever seen it, in both of their eyes. As they walked, the two humans nearly ran into other park-goers or trees, too focused on each other to pay attention to where they were going.

Blue didn’t care that she now had to share her dad’s affections with another human. She knew that she would always have a special spot in her dad’s heart, and this fact was solidified when her human made sure she had a special spot next to him at the café he and clumsy human ate at after they left the park. When they got home later that night, her human showered her with kisses, cuddles, and dog treats. She was also happy, and maybe a bit smug, when her human thanked her for leading him towards the clumsy human.

All in all, she was just glad that her dad was happy again. She managed to be a Good Dog, no, the Best Dog, and chased the sadness that was plaguing her human away, and now, as an added bonus, there was one more human in her life to give her cuddles and kisses.

About a year later, she gained a new, permanent routine. Every day, at four o’ clock, she would wait by the window in their new, larger house, and her _two_ humans would return from work. There would be a click as the front door unlocked, and she would rush over to her humans, barking and giving them kisses. They would shower her in affection in return, and shortly after, they would take her across the street to the park, where she could play and romp to her heart’s content. And there, always following closely behind her, would be her two humans, who had The Look in their eyes every time they gazed at each other.

And now, truly, Blue’s life was perfect, with loving humans, a park to play in, gourmet dog food, and the finest chew toys known to dog-kind. She was content, and there wasn’t anything that could make it better. Or at least, that’s what she thought until she met the most gorgeous female dog with a beautiful coat of red fur, and she gained The Look in her own eyes. But that, dear reader, is a story for another time.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's The End! I really REALLY like writing fluff, and these two are perfect for it! I managed to vent my single gremlin self feelings in this fic, and I hope I managed to bring some smiles to you amazing readers! If some of you don't have Valentine this year, I'd be happy to be your platonic one! Thank you for supporting me, and remember to review, or not, it's your choice! This is ArtistFox, signing off!


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